Mold for freezing liquids and semiliquids



July 6, 1948. R. M. STORER MOLDS FOR FREEZING LIQUIDS AND SEMI-LIQUIDS Fild March 51, 1936 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RICHARD M S70RE/? ATTORNEY.

July 6, 1948.

R. M. STORER MOLDS FOR FREEZING LIQUIDS AND SEMI-LIQUIDS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 31, 1936 1N VENTOR: ve/MRO M 37025 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 6, 1948 MOLD FOR FREEZING LIQUIDS AND SEMILIQUIDS Richard M. Storer, Denver, 0010., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a

corporation of Delaware Application March 31, 1936, Serial No. 71,965

18 Claims.-

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple, convenient and highly efiicient method and mechanical means for liberating the icecubes from the molds in which they are formed, thereby obviating the use of warm water and other similar awkward and time-taking methods heretofore employed for the same purpose. I

The structure hereinafter to be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, constitutes an improved variation of other contrivances of similar characteristics, such as that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,438,260 dated March 23, 1948.

In the drawings in the several views of which like parts are similarly designated,

Figure 1 represents a vertical, longitudinal section of a freezing tray of the type used in domestic refrigeration, inclusive of a mold constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a similar section illustrative of the method'of removing the mold from the tray;

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 shows a transverse section of the moldmember per se, illustrating the operation of the invention in liberating the ice-cubes formed in the mold.

The invention as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, performs the operation of liberating the ice cubes by two cooperating forces acting upon the cubes at three sides thereof. Within the scope of the present invention, either one of these forces may be dispensed with, leaving the other force to singly perform the desired operation with satisfactory results.

In Figure 5 of the drawings,- a sectional elevation similar to Figure 1, shows the tray and its mold in a form operative to liberate the ice cubes by one force only.

Figure 6 is a section along the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 6a. is a. transverse view of the mold- 2 element of Figure 6, after its removal from the tray, illustrating the mode of operation in liberating the ice-blocks from the component parts thereof;

Figure 7 is a view similar to those of Figures 1 and 5 showing the liberating mechanism as intended to perform its function by the exercise of the second of the two forces above mentioned, exclusive of the other;

Figure 8 is a transverse section taken in the plane indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a similar section of the mold element of Figure 7 illustrative of its mode of operation;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section on the line Ill-l0 of Figure 1, showing the method of locking the lever-member of the mechanism, against transverse displacement, when not in use;

Figure 11 is a transverse section of the construction shown in Figure 1 or 7, illustrating a modified form thereof; and

Figure 12 shows a top-view of the tray and the therein contained mold-element drawn to a reduced scale.

Referring further to the drawings, the reference character A designates the tray member of a freezing-unit of the type commonly used in domestic or commercial refrigeration, B denotes the grid structure or mold-element which normally is loosely fitted in the tray and in which the distinctive features of the present invention are embodied, and C designates in light lines, the ice-blocks formed in the tray, to be removed in the operation of the liberating mechanism of the grid or mold-element subsequent to its removal from the tray.

The tray element does not differ in construction from those in ordinary use. It comprises a shallow pan 5 having a flat bottom-member 5a and flaring side-members 5b and end-members 5c terminating at their upper edges in outwardly projecting flanges 5d and lie. I

The grid structure or mold-element consists of a longitudinal baseor carrier-member 6 upon which the cell-forming parts and the cube liberating mechanism, comprised in the invention, are assembled. The base-member is of substantially. U-shaped form comprising a narrow longitudinal part 6a, and therewith integrally formed upright end-parts 6b and 6c.

The cells or compartments in which the iceblocks or cubes are frozen, are formed by a plurality of transverse partitions l equidistantly spaced from each other to form the side-walls of the compartments, and a series of longitudi- 3 na lly alined partitions 8 fixed at their lower edges to the longitudinal member 6a of the base element, to extend vertically, intermediate of the 'ends of the transverse partitions l to form the fend-walls of the compartments indicated at D in Figure 12. when the mold-element is "in place inthe tray-element, the latter is divided into two series of cells or compartments D at opposite sides of a central longitudinal plane.

The transverse partitions have at their upper edges, central slots 9, the edges of which are en- 'gaged by cams [2 formed by the bottom-surfaces fofperipheral grooves of a cam shaft H1. The pdrallel side portions of the slots 9 of the partitions, extend loosely in the grooves of the camshaft, to guide the partitions during their movement by rotation of the shaft. The shaft H) is by means of trunnions l3 at its ends, rotatably mounted in suitable bearings at the upper ends of the upright members 60 and 6b of the baseelement 6, the trunnions being eccentric to the cams l2. The trunnion at one end of the shaft projects beyond the respective bearing for the application of an operating lever 14, which preferably is made in channel shape and terminates in ears l which straddle the end-portion of the trunnion and are pivotally connected therewith by means of a pin IS.

The cam shaft l0 furthermore has a longitudinal groove I! to receive the upper edges of the alined longitudinal partitions 8 forming the endwalls of the cells at opposite sides thereof.

The partitions fit loosely in the groove ll of the shaft, so that when the latter is rotated, the partitions may follow its rotary movement through a limited arc.

At the extremity of the upwardly extending member 60 of the base-element at which the lever H is pivotally connected therewith; is an upwardly ranging lug l8, which when the lever is in its normal position of rest in substantially parallel relation to the shaft in, projects into the channel of the lever thereby holding the latter against lateral displacement. The lug l8, retains the lever M in place thus holding all parts of the grid assembly in their normal freezing position. When the lever I4 is raised, it is released from its retained position and is free to operate the movable grid members to impart ice-dislodging movement thereto. a

At the upper end of the opposite upwardly extending end-portion of the base-member is a bail-like handle l8 pivoted as at 20 and functioning in the operation as a convenient means for holding the mold-element while by movement of the lever, the ice-blocks are removed therefrom.

Having thus described the construction of the device as it is shown in Figure 1 and 2 of the drawings, its operation will be readily apparent.

The tray carrying the mold as shown in Figure 1, is filled with the liquid or semi-liquid to be frozen, and placed within the refrigerator.

The mold-element, as constructed, forms a grid having two series of cells D at opposite sides of its longitudinal axis, which divide the substance to be frozen so that in the solidified conditions thereof, it will present a number of separated blocks or cubes indicated at C in the: drawings. The expansion to which the liquid substance is subjected during the freezing process, causes these blocks or cubes to firmly adhere to the walls of the cells or compartments D with the result that when the mold or grid is subsequently removed from the tray, the'ice-blocks remain in place therein. The method of liberating the blocks in accordance with the present invention is as follows.

Initially the grid with the frozen ice-blocks in place, is lifted from the tray by moving the lever l4 upwardly in a vertical plane. At the extremity of the lever, adjacent its pivot, is a cam-member 2|, which during the rotary movement of the lever, bears against the adjacent flange 5e of the tray, thereby exerting a leverage which causes the mold or grid to move upwardly as shown in Figure 2. The ice-blocks in the cells of the mold are thus forcibly freed from the bottom of the tray, and the mold with the blocks in place, is readily removed from the tray by the use of the lever and the handle at opposite ends thereof.

The mold is subsequently placed upon a fiat surface and while holding the mold in place by means of the handle, the lever raised to a substantially vertical position or at right angles to the cam shaft, is now moved through a limited arc in a plane'at right angles to the axis of the shaft alternately in opposite directions.

The consequent rotation of the cam shaft causes the alined partitions 8, which are made of a suitable flexible material, to be bent laterally and alternately in opposite directions about their connections with the body part of the base-element, by reason of their pivotal connections with the shaft through the medium of the longitudinal groove or slot l'l thereof.

By virtue of these lateral movements of the partitions, a thrust upon the ice-blocks within the respective cells or compartments of the grid, is effected with the result that the blocks not only are liberated from the end-walls of the cellsbut at the same time are forced toward the open ends of the same.

Owing to the eccentric movement of the shaft about its trunnions, the normally floating transverse partitions I are caused to tilt in their planes as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, first in one direction and then in the other. This movement of the transverse partitions separates them from the ice-block's in the respective cells, with the result that the blocks are entirely freed from the Walls between which they were formed, and the mold can be removed leaving the blocks separately in place on the surface upon which the mold was placed, ready for immediate use.

It will thus be observed that the operation of the lever produces two forces, one of which separates the end walls of the cells from the iceblocks and thrusts the latter outwardly toward the open ends of the cells, while the other breaks the coherence between the blocks and the sidewalls of the cells.

'While this result is effectively obtained by moving the lever alternately in opposite directions, movement of the same in one direction only will under favorable conditions, produce a similar result by liberating the ice-blocks simultaneously in both series of cells at opposite sides of the longitudinally alined central partitions.

Furthermore, while the two forces produced in the operation of the device cooperatively cause the ice-blocks to be quickly and completely liberated from the walls of their cells, a similar and satisfactory result may be produced under favorable conditions by either force per se, independent of the other force.

Thus in Figure 5 of the drawings, the connection of the alined partitions 8 with the shaft through the intermediary of its longitudinal groove I! are eliminated and the operation of liberating the ice-cubes is effected by the here- 8 inabove described tilting movements of the transverse partitions alone.

The shaft i is peripherally grooved merely for the purpose of bracin the transverse partitions I, when the eccentric cams are omitted.

In Figs. 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings the shaft 10 is shown as bein longitudinally grooved to receive the upper edge-portions of the longitudinal partitions 8, in consequence of which the latter will be moved laterally as disclosed in Fig. 9 of the drawings while the transverse partitions I remain at rest in their original positions. In this form of the invention, the ice-blocks are liberated by movement of the end-walls of the cells alone and independent of an movement of the sidewallsof the same. The ice-blocks on the left side of the grid are released when the lever is moved to the right, and those on the right side are moved when the lever is moved to the left.

The alined partitions 8 forming the end-walls of the cells are in the forms hereinbefore explained, connected at their lower edges with the body-member 6a of the carrier or base-element 6, by means of welding, soldering or other similar means. The connections may also be made by the use of hinge-pins as shown at 23 in Figure 11 of the drawings.

Other modifications and variations in the form, construction and relative arrangement of the elements and parts comprised in the device as herein described, may be resorted to without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as defined in the hereunto appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a mold-element comprising an end-wall member and movable side-wall members, providing a freezing-cell open at one end, and leverage mechanismfor effecting a positive tilting movement of the side-Wall members independent of the endwall member, to disrupt their cohesion with iceblocks in the freezing cell.

2. In a device of the character described, a mold-element comprising longitudinally extending end-wall members, and movable side-wall members, transverse thereto, to provide a series of freezing-cells, and leverage mechanism for slmultaneously effecting tilting movements of the side-wall members independent of the end-wall members, to disrupt their cohesion with iceblocks in the freezing cells.

3. In a device of the character described, a mold-element comprising longitudinally extending end-wall members, and movable side-wall members, transverse thereto, to provide a series of freezing-cells, and a rotary shaft having cammembers acting upon the side-wall members to effect a substantially angular movement thereof.

4. In a device of the character described, a mold-element comprising pivotally movable endwall members and angularly movable side-wall members to provide a series of freezing-cells, and mechanism to effect simultaneous movements of the walls of the cells whereby to liberate iceblocks in the cells.

5. In a device of the character described. a mold-element comprising single thickness endwall members pivotally supported at their lower ends, and side-wall members to provide a series of freezing-cells, and mechanism to effect a pivotal movement of the end-wall members whereby to liberate ice-blocks in the cells.

6. In a device of the character described, a

mold-element comprising end-wall members ivotally supported at their lower ends, and sidewall members to provide a series of freezing-cells, and a rotary shaft having a longitudinal groove containing upper end-portions of the end-wall members whereby to effect a pivotal movement thereof.

7. In a device of the character described, a mold-element comprising end-wall members pivoted at their lower ends, and therewith intersecting transverse side-wall members, to provide series of freezing cells at opposite sides of the endwall. members, and mechanism to effect a pivotal movement of the end-Wall members in upposite directions whereby to disrupt their cohesion with ice-blocks in the cells.

8. In a device of the character described, a mold-element comprising transverse movable side-wall members, and an end-wall member intermediate the ends thereof to provide two opposite freezing cells, the end-wall member con- 10. In a device of the character described, a

mold element comprising an end wall member and movable side wall members, providing a freezing cell open at one end, and leverage mechanism for effecting a movement of the side wall members independently of the end wall member in substantially a vertical plane to disrupt their cohesion with ice blocks in the freezing cell.

11. In a device of the character disclosed, a freezing tray, a grid assembly comprising a longitudinafwall member, and independently movable transverse wall members extending to either side thereof and cooperating therewith, to provide freezing cells in the tray, and leverage mechanism for raising the grid from the tray and operatively engaging. the transverse wall members for imparting ice-dislodging movement to the transverse wall members relative to the longitudinal wall.

12. A metallic unitary grid structure for disposition in a freezing tray and removable there- ;from as a unit, said grid structure including a longitudinal partition wall and a plurality of separate cross walls spaced lengthwise along said longitudinal wall, said cross walls being movably mounted upon and interlocked with the longitudinal wall and extending continuously in a straightline plane on both sides of said longitudinal wall through the plane of said longitudinal wall, aid cross walls and said longitudinal wall cooperating with each other to form a plurality of ice block compartments on opposite sides of said longitudinal wall, said mounting of the cross walls on said longitudinal wall permitting angular movement of said cross Walls relative to the longitudinal wall within the plane of said longitudinal wall, and means carried by the grid structure for so moving the cross walls.

13. A metallic grid structure for disposition in a freezing tray and removable therefrom as a unit, said grid structure comprising a longitudinal wall structure and a plurality of separate cross walls extending through the plane of said longitudinal wall on both sides thereof to form rows of ice block compartments on opposite sides of said longitudinal wall structure, said cross walls permanent unitarily removable grid structure, and mechanism operatively engaging said transverse wall members for moving same relative to said longitudinal wall member to breaks, bond being carried by and interlocked with said longibetween said transverse wall members 'and ice tudinal wall structure, and means for removing blocks adhering thereto. all or less than all of the ice blocks from the grid 17. A grid adapted to be disposed in a freezing structure, said last-named means moving a wall tray for dividing the interior thereof into a of each ice block compartment relative to the replurality of ice block compartments, said grid maining walls of each compartment. 10 comprising a longitudinal wall having a series of 14. In a tray of the character described, a grid cross wall receiving openings therein spaced apart removably disposed therein for dividing the tray along t e a Single h c ness cross wall in into a plurality of freezing cells, said grid includeach of said openings extending to opposite sides ing an upright longitudinal partition and a luof said lon itu inal wall to form a removable rality of upright cross members spaced at interunitary grid structure, and each of said cross vals along said longitudinal partition on both sides walls having an upper portion engageable for thereof and movable angularly about the same, tilting the same to facilitate the removal of ice a manually-actuated element carried by the grid blocks from said grid structure. and disposed to impart said angular movement A d f partitioning t e nterior of a to the cross members to break the bond between y into rows of ice block p me ts omthe grid and tray, and means for mechanically pri a l n itudinal member and a plurality raising said grid from the tray. of spaced apart rigid walls carried by and ex- 15. A grid adapted to be disposed within a tending laterally from said longitudinal member freezing tray for dividing the interior thereof to form a u y removable grid stru ture. said into a plurality of ice block compartments open lflngitudimjll member having a p r t ereof diat their tops and bottoms, said grid comprising Vided longitudinally to Provide a movable P a longitudinal partition and a plurality of sepatiOIl intermediate each of the Spaced p t rigid rate upright single thickness transverse parti- Walls, means n d grid Structure or engaging tions disposed in spaced apart relation along the and moving Said Pertitlons in an arcuate p t length of id longitudinal tit i pa -ti laterally between said rigid walls, and said means tions being movably interlocked together t form being rotatable in one direction relative to said a removable unitary grid structure, said longitud r ging said partitions p a longidinal partition consisting of a single thickness tudinal Side Of Said grid Structure and being r0- member forming a common and n f tatable in another direction relative to said grid partments on opposite sides thereof, said transfor wi ging said partitions towa d the pp verse partitions each forming a common side wall longitudinal Side Of Said d tu e. for compartments on opposite sides thereof, mechanism for moving certain of said common RICHARD STORER. compartment walls relative to certain other of said walls in said unitary structure, and said 40 REFERENCES CITED c a sm for a p rt O S d d ru tu e The following references are of record in the and being carried thereby. file of t patent;

16. A grid adapted to be disposed within a a freezing tray for dividing the interior thereof UNITED STATES PATENTS into a plurality of ice block compartments, said Number Name Dat grid comprising a longitudinal wall member and 1,940,680 Geyer Dec. 26, 1933 independently movable transverse wall members r 2,009,803 Hallock July 30, 1935 extending to either side of said longitudinal wall 2,037,520 Anderson Apr. 14, 1936 member and interlocked therewith to form a 1,043,881 Buchanan June 9, 1936 

